SKULLS

by Lovely Vero

Vampiro and El Diablo, aka: Klaus and Elijah Mikaelson, heads of the bikers SKULLS are fighting Gabriel Desperaldo, aka: El escorpión - head of the Spanish mafia - and his human trafficking in their city of Los Alamos in New Mexico. Never in a million years, did they imagine that the love of two captured women would change their life forever.

10. In the name of the father and his sons

SKULLS

From: Lovely Vero

Fan Fiction – Alternate Universe TVD & the Originals

Main pairings:
Caroline Forbes & Klaus Mikaelson
Katherine Pierce & Elijah Mikaelson

Also starring:
Bonnie Bennett and Kol Mikaelson
Stephan Salvatore and Rebekah Mikaelson

---

To all the anonymous who leave reviews on my updates: just know that I am always so happy to read you, when I receive your comments and appreciation on this story. Keep them coming, it fills me with joy!

To all my readers: I wanted to change things around in regard of the family structure related to the canon world of TVD. For once, I wanted Klaus to be accepted by Mikael, by making a twist in the story.

---

CHAPTER 10

"In the name of the father and his sons"

---

Song inspiration: "Under pressure" from: Queen

"I Can't Get No…Satisfaction." from: The Rolling Stones

---

El Diablo crossed the threshold of his office with his father close on his heels, as well as his brother Vampiro and Big Joe following on their track a few minutes later. He finally closed the door behind their backs when they have all entered the large space.

"You slept well father?" Elijah asked, while pulling on his leather desk chair to sit on it.

"Like an owl on its branch." Falcon replied, teasingly; sitting on the comfortable armchair placed in front of the large mahogany desk, before raising both of his leather biker boots on it.

"You do know that I am always scolding Joe for doing this?" Elijah pointed a straight finger toward his father's boots.

"Your point is, son?" Mikael questioned, shrugging; unaffected by his son's request.

"So, like an owl meant that you've slept with an opened eye and a gun underneath your pillow?" Klaus commented, grinning.

"Always!" The patriarch responded, smirking; before turning his head to glance at the henchman. "Did you exercise the past few months Big Joe, you look slimmer?"

"Did he ever?" Klaus teased, chuckling; while taking his own sitting position near his father. "He must have a lady-love snatched somewhere."

Big Joe blushed slightly, nervously stomping his feet on the marble floor: "With all respect Falcon, tell your son to shut the fuck up!"

Elijah chuckled, winking at Klaus: "It's OK Big Joe, no harm done. It's just that, as your bosses, we would like to share your happiness if "ever" you are in the love zone; wouldn't you if roles were reversed?"

"Do you really want me to answer to that question while talking about your female guests in the house?" The henchman replied, eyebrow rose.

"Who is she?" Falcon questioned, smirking.

"She is no one," Big Joe replied, between clenched teeth. "Because, there is no one to mention. Instead of poking me like a water melon; why aren't you asking both of your sons about the blonde and the brunette they are having as guests in their beds?"

"Oh! But it was on my "to-do" list, Big Joe." Mikael replied; smiling and nodding. "Thank you for pointing this subject out to me; and by doing so, protesting way too much and proving that you do have a lady-love."

"Fuck you all!" Big Joe responded, rolling his eyes; before pulling a chair to sit at his usual spot.

"In good time we'll find out who she is, trust me." Klaus assured everyone, with a smile and nod.

"Please keep me posted on this urgent manner." Falcon commented; winking in Joe' direction.

"You are all pussies that is what you all are!" Big Joe responded, pointing at each one of them.

"I truly hope you'll improve your manners and language when you'll speak to your girlfriend." Klaus mocked.

"I've been called worst." Elijah shrugged, smiling.

"Me as well!" Mikael commented, shaking his head; before glancing in Klaus's direction. "How's Cecilia?"

"Mom is good." Klaus nodded. "She hates you still and will always hate you with a passion, but … She has accepted for me to hide her in a German location with a few of our men to keep her safe. Which did not make her happy at all, considering she has a new boyfriend, who, she told me, is the complete opposite of you."

"Good for her!" Falcon nodded; smiling. "I'm glad she will be safe and has apparently found the love of her life."

"Talking about moms," Elijah pointed out, hitting the tips of his fingers over his desktop. "How's mine…how's Esther?"

"A pain in my damn ass; like she's always been." Mikael replied, sighing loudly.

"The both of you have broken things off and got back together more times than I can count on both of my hands." Elijah waved them to his father.

"And then some!" Big Joe added, nodding.

"The sex is good, what can I say." Falcon shrugged, unwavering.

"Oh…No, no, and no!" Klaus shook his head; wincing at the mental picture of his step-mother and father in bed. "It's way too early for this."

"Please refrain from giving us visual explanation or details on your physical relationship with my mother." Elijah warned his father; his right opened palm raised in the air.

"Why? I was starting to truly enjoy myself." Big Joe commented, winking at Falcon.

"On a more urgent matter," Mikael changed the subject subtly. "Why was I not informed of Desparaldo's shootout in New-York; as well as knowing how your siblings, Kol and Rebekah, are doing?"

"They are both alive and in perfect health. As for the shootout, it happened quite unexpectedly." Elijah informed his father, as a matter of facts.

"How this plan was supposed to unfold?" Falcon asked, toneless.

"Kol hacked a university server, took the identity of a graduate to infiltrate the NYPD. By doing so, he was tracing a direct line from point "A" to point "B", being him and the detective in charge who opened an investigation on the two missing women who left for vacation in Mexico and never came back." Klaus explained to his father.

"It worked?" Mikael questioned.

"Yeah… Only slight problem in his plan: he got himself a sexy "female" detective, named Bonnie Bennett." Klaus gave the information, chuckling. "Though, for Kol I'm sure it's not a problem."

"Son of a gun! Only Kol could manage to get himself a female detective." Falcon shook his head. "Can't he sleep with that woman to lure her into a sense of trust?"

"You want a young male graduate to sleep with a female detective, who has been assigned as his mentor, while being on his internship? I'm shocked… but not really surprised!" Elijah questioned and commented, teasingly. "This said, that would put him in deep shit, father!"

"Oh come on; like you did not think that it would eventually come to that with him?" The patriarch exclaimed, shrugging. "Don't tell me Kol won't try to put his hand in her panties."

"Falcon has a good point though." Big Joe commented, grinning.

"Big Joe keep you comment to yourself!" Elijah warned, while pointing a finger at his henchman. "For once Kol is truly focused on the mission to save our asses, and our organization, father." He added. "He's driven by his deep hate for Desperadlo, as we all are."

"Rebekah?" Mikael turned his head to glance at Klaus.

"She offered her services to a big shot lawyer, boyfriend of my blonde protégé Caroline Forbes, who is bearing the name of Tyler Lockwood, to help him with the case of missing person." Klaus informed more. "The day of the shootout Bekah was meeting that asshole at a well-known lounge bar, when and where Kol and Detective Bonnie Bennett, both arrived." He explained more in depth. "A few minutes later the shootout happened. A few bikers leaving the bar after creating a staged chaos."

"So, Desperaldo had rapidly figured out with the help of his fucked up mind that we would try to scramble the N.Y.P.D. investigation to save our asses." Falcon came to the single conclusion. "And by putting in place that shootout and implying that an organization of bikers is behind it all; he's trying to put the attention back to us. Fuck him!" he added, swearing. "What about the brunette?"

"Katherine Pierce, staged American name … Her true one is Katerina Petrova." Elijah informed his father.

"Russian?" His father questioned some more, with an arched eyebrow.

"Bulgarian actually." El Diablo informed his father. "Not much to say. She has no family in New-York, only one other male friend named Stefan Salvatore, who was also present at the shootout. He's been waltzing with the wrong side of the crowd the majority of his life, so I believe we could "perhaps" enroll him to help us if needed be."

"You need to find out what Desperaldo's next move will be." Falcon suggested, nodding. "To achieve that, only one person could be willing to give you that information for a good amount of green."

"Mateo!" Elijah winced at the name sound, sighing loudly; before lowering his head on his chair headrest. "I've exchanged a few words with him when I was released from prison."

"I have a good news for you then! He's been released from prison also." Falcon teased his son, grinning (knowing perfectly well Elijah's disdain for the man). "And he's hosting at his millions of dollars mansion a debauchery night in a few days." He informed some more. "On the menu: an evening of Latin music, prostitutes, and high stake poker."

"Oh fun! I guess I'll need to iron my suit then?" Big Joe teased.

"I really don't want to meet with this asshole!" Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose; before robbing his eyes.

"Me neither, but …We need to go, Elijah. Whatever information we can get is crucial at this point of the game." Klaus commented. "Plus, you'll be able to shove lies into Mateo's ears for him to repeat them to Desperaldo."

"Fine! We'll go." El Diablo opened both of his arms, defeated.

"So... I've met both of your chicks last night." Mikael informed, smirking. "The brunette tried to kill me with a kitchen knife; while the blonde one tried to knock me out with a roller pin!"

"Those two are my girls; I'm so proud!" Big Joe exclaimed, a large grin spreading on his bearded face.

"Father behave," Elijah replied, lowering his head to let a smile spread on his full lips. "Caroline Forbes and Katherine pierce are not "our" chicks!"

"And yet, they are sleeping in your bedroom suites and in your beds!" Mikael stipulated the truth. "Like Big Joe reminded me not even five minutes ago."

"I can, once again, attest to that!" The henchman rose his right hand in the air.

"Thank you for your input, Big Joe; now close your damn big mouth!" Elijah warned his right arm man.

"Well, you need to give them an "A" for originality and effort of how to kill you father, no?" Klaus teased, smirking. "As for them being in our private quarters it's essentially for security purposes."

"That's what we call it these days?" Mikael commented, smiling; while shaking his head. "They are both freaking gorgeous women. You are both men with tails between your legs, so …You're telling me that nothing sexual had happened yet? He crossed both arms in front of his budged chest. "Big Joe?"

"I can't talk, Sir." The henchman swallowed hard, shaking his head repeatedly. "I want to live!"

El Diablo and Vampiro glanced at each other for a few seconds, before lowering both of their heads down… this was a dangerous territory for them to be!

"Klaus and I have both of our minds set at keeping them safe and away from Desperaldo." Elijah finally explained their way of thinking and acting.

"Mrs. Pierce and Mrs. Forbes were certainly set in protecting your home." Mikael commented. "Good thinking from their parts, but… extremely wrong methods." He commented, before adding. "That is why it's imperative for both women to carry a gun at all times."

"You want all of us to die?" Big Joe exclaimed, in shock; while both Elijah and Klaus turned their heads to let a laugh escape their throats.

"I thought they were both your girls? You were so proud!" Mikael questioned the chubby man; while repeating his say.

"Yes, I am!" The henchman repeated, before adding: "When they hold kitchen knives and rolling pin in their hands, and are not carrying guns!"

"Father, to be honest I don't think it's a good idea." Elijah shook his head.

"Caroline and Katherine have guts, I'll give you that. Heck! They both sang "pour some sugar on me" in front of the boys at the last Karaoke night!" Klaus commented.

"Damn! If I had known, I would have been there, singing the song with them on stage." Falcon swore, disappointed.

"Yeah… We could have easily figured that much." Klaus shook his head, in hope to erase the visual in his mind.

"I'll teach them how to handle a gun, in case of extreme emergency." Mikael informed, unwavering. "Big Joe, you'll help me with their lesson."

"You want me to stand as their human target, and be killed by them?" The chubby man exclaimed, in shock. "What did I do to you, Falcon?"

"You won't be the target, you idiot!" Mikael responded; rolling his eyes. "You'll place targets such as bottles and food cans in the garden; and by doing so, we'll get them to practice."

"Father, this all lesson thing will probably end up being a big, huge, mistake from your part." Klaus tried to intervene.

"Shush!" Mikael whispered, unexpectedly; before placing a straight finger in front of his lips to silence them all.

The patriarch promptly and very silently rose from his sitting position, taking quiet steps to reach the closed office door; before grabbing the handle to swing it open.

Both Katherine and Caroline almost fell heads first on the marble floor (obviously they were both listening, their ears glued to the panel); before regaining their standing positions in matter of seconds.

"Ladies!" Falcon greeted, grinning; arms firmly crossed over his muscular chest. "What a lovely surprise."

"What were you doing?" Elijah questioned them both.

"Lucinda told us that this "man" who presented himself to us as Falcon, has summoned both Katherine and I to meet with him in your office." Caroline replied to El Diablo, sight narrowed on the tall man; before adding between clenched teeth. "Like we can be summoned!"

"This man, Pippi is my and Elijah's father." Klaus replied, sighing loudly.

"Stop calling me that, Klaus!" Caroline spat back; closed fists firmly placed on each side of her hips. "And yes, we know!"

"Pippi? As in Longstocking?" Mikael asked, dumbfounded; before shaking his head and letting a chuckle escape his parted lips.

"You know another one?" His son responded, grinning.

"So, what do you want with us?" Katherine asked the patriarch, hands placed on each side of her waist, chin rose; before rapidly glancing in direction of Elijah.

"Katherine, Caroline… Please, officially meet our father, Mikael." Elijah made the formal introduction among them; his right hand pointing in direction of the patriarch.

"Oh! You have a name?" Caroline commented, perniciously; while tilting her head to the right. "You heard that Katherine, the man has a name!"

"Yeah, I heard. It would have been really handy if you could have disclosure both your name and who you were last night, before I almost stabbed you to death…" Katherine lashed out.

"…Or knocked you out for good!" Caroline finished her friend' sentence.

"Oh sweethearts; you were not even close of achieving those prowess!" Mikael replied, sighing loudly.

"I'm proud of you both for trying, though…Woo woo!" Big Joe exclaimed, raising his right fist in the air. "Just know that Falcon is basically immortal. No one can achieve to kill him."

"Big Joe, where were you yesterday, for God sake, when we needed you?" Caroline asked the henchman, stomping her feet on the floor.

"It was my fucking day off, Blondie!" The chubby man replied, with wide opened arms.

"How could you have left these two defenseless creatures alone?" Klaus imitated the acute voice of Caroline. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" He added, teasingly; waving a forbidding finger at his right arm man.

"I really want to throw my closed fist at your face at the moment…Boss!" Big Joe replied, between clenched teeth.

"Fuck you, Klaus!" Katherine spat back. "We are far from being defenseless!"

"As for the "fuck you" part, never going to happen between us, love" Klaus replied, all smiles. "Try with my brother, I'm sure he would be more willing to oblige to your request than I would."

"Nicklaus!" Elijah warned; narrowing his sight and raising his tone at his brother.

"Elijah!" Katherine called his name, lowering her upper body over his desk; opened palms and deep neckline placed over his desktop. "You basically left us alone in this ridiculously large mansion of yours, without a single weapon to defend ourselves!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry Mrs. Pierce that my large mansion seems to be an inconvenience to you!" Elijah replied, dryly; while promptly raising on his feet to find himself at the same eyes level than her. If he was frank with himself, the deep neckline was a bit much for him to handle at the moment. "As for leaving you both unprotected, for fuck sake, Katherine … There are at least one hundred of our men on the premises to assure you safety!"

Katherine strengthened her upper body into a standing position; while wrinkling her nose and shrugging at his say.

"Brother listen to my wise suggestion: we could always relocate Caroline and Katherine in the garage, if the mansion is too much for them to handle?" Klaus teased. "A couple of sleeping bags and they would be could to go!"

"Oh for God sake, could you just for once shut your big mouth?" Caroline lashed out, grabbing her head with both hands.

"Make me, love!" He winked back at her. "I dare you!"

"Sometimes, I hate you with such a passion, Klaus Mikaelson!" She replied, between clenched teeth; while crossing both arms in front of her chest.

"Be careful, Pippi; it starts to sound like the beginning of a love story between us." He commented, under a chuckle.

"Are they always acting like this?" Mikael questioned Big Joe, in a whisper; a large grin spreading on his face at the verbal exchange between his sons and the two women.

"Pretty much, yes." The henchman nodded, grimacing.

"Ok, ladies, come with me!" Falcon commanded with a snap of his fingers.

"Since when do we listen to orders coming from you?" Katherine questioned, shrugging; leading her steps underneath the arch of the office door.

"Since "I said so"!" The patriarch replied; unwavering.

"To do what?" Caroline asked; reluctantly advancing to reach her friend' standing position over the threshold.

"We are going fishing!" Mikael teased, winking; while making her roll her eyes. "And for your information ladies; don't think for a second that you will be able to enroll me around your little fingers like you are doing with my sons."

"Hey! That is a low blow from your part, father!" Klaus spat back; while Elijah sat back on his chair and shook his head in defeat.

"Maybe, but it's still the damn fucking truth!" Their father replied to him. "Big Joe are you coming?" He added, before pushing both ladies in front of him, to walk into the corridor.

"There is nothing you could do to save my big ass from this nightmare?" The henchman begged both Klaus and Elijah for their indulgence, in a lower voice.

"No, unfortunately there isn't much we could do." Klaus replied, teasingly. "Our hands are tied."

"But, we'll cheer for your life while looking at the spectacle through the windows, from my very "safe" office." Elijah added, smirking.

"You two," Big Joe pointed at both of his bosses. "You can both go to hell, I swear!"

---

Big Joe walked first in front of both ladies, growling displeasing words between his clenched teeth over his task at hands, while hitting the heels of his biker boots on the marble; before stepping out on the large patio placed in front of the large Olympic swimming pool. Falcon had parted ways with them (for a few minutes) to go find (his own words!) whatever was necessary to give the girls their lesson. The henchman signed a few of their guards to stay positioned around the garden as watch dogs; while walking the length of the patio to reach the garden.

"Oh come on, Big Joe; whatever is happening is not our fault!" Caroline tried to make him feel better.

"Will Falcon make us swim the length of the pool with our clothes on and time the amount of minutes it will take us to cross it?" Katherine teased, with a chuckle.

"Hah aha… Real funny, Kit Kat!" He replied, dryly; before abruptly halting his walk to stare in direction of the large shack (who served mostly to stock food supplies), where a truck had parked to deliver boxes of bottles of alcohol.

A woman jumped out of the truck, her blonde ponytail swinging to the right and left; while she grabbed the boxes out of the trunk.

"Hey? Isn't it Anita, the waitress from the Skulls' bar?" Caroline questioned, arms crossed over her chest.

"Yay … I think it's her." Katherine nodded. "Isn't it her, Big Joe?" The brunette questioned some more, turning her head to the left; only to notice that the henchman had left their sides to hurry his steps to reach the parked truck. "What do we have here?" She questioned her female friend, grinning.

"Could it be that our friend Big Joe has a crush?" Caroline commented, winking at the brunette.

"Hey, Anita!" He saluted, with a nod (hands buried in the back pocket of his jeans); redness filling his full cheeks. "Do you need help with those boxes? You poor thing you can't carry all of them all by yourself."

"Hey, Big Joe! It's nice to see you." Anita saluted, warmly and with a bright smile. "I don't want to be a bother for you. You must be busy with stuff, I wouldn't want to take you away from your work time."

"It's no bother, sweetheart." The bearded man replied, shyly; while jumping from one foot to the other in all awkwardness.

"OK then! I wouldn't say "no" to some help." She added, while handing him a box. "Thanks by the way, Big Joe, El Diablo asked for a few boxes of Whiskey and Bourbon to be delivered from the bar to the mansion." She explained, while walking by his side to reach the opened door of the shack.

"You know Anita, you could simply call me "Joe" or "Joseph"." He suggested, lowering a box down; while avoiding to look at the pretty blonde.

Damn she looked like an angel with wings!

"Sure!" She replied, wiping the dust left her hands on the fabric of her jeans. "It would feel strange because I've called you Big Joe for so long, but, I have no problem with calling you Joseph."

"And I could call you Angel, Anita," He responded, shyly; before blushing bright red after realizing what he had said. "I mean … For all the good you do for us at the mansion; you're truly an angel."

"Oh … You're too sweet, Joseph!" She thanked him by raising herself on her tip toes to bless his left cheek of a friendly kiss. "But, I am no angel; believe me!"

"I beg to differ on that subject." He replied to her; as red as a tomato.

"What do we have here?" Caroline questioned, while carrying a box inside the shack; followed by Katherine who carried her own load.

"Hey!" Anita saluted both women with a wave of her hand and a smile. "Katherine and … Caroline, right?" She pointed toward them both.

"Yeah," Katherine nodded, lowering the box down. "You remembered our names. Nice to see you again, Anita."

"Likewise." The blonde waitress replied, nodding. "Thanks for the help."

"Oh it's our pleasure." Caroline replied, lowering her own box near the others. "Isn't it our pleasure, Big Joe?" She teased, elbowing the henchman.

"Yeah, sure!" he replied, lowering his sight and head down to hide his shyness around the waitress.

"Joseph was a darling helping me with the boxes; like the two of you so kindly are." Anita added, grateful.

"Joseph?" Both Katherine and Caroline repeated, grinning.

Big Joe shook his head at them both, with a discreet sign of his hand; in a noticeable warning to shut their big mouths!

"So how are you both? Acclimating yourself to the bikers' life?" Anita questioned, politely.

"Yeah … something like that." Katherine replied, shrugging.

"What's all this?" Caroline questioned, pointing toward the boxes.

"Booze!" Anita informed. "El Diablo wanted to stock some bottles at the mansion."

"Anita… Que pasa darling?" Falcon approached the shack, saluting the waitress.

"Falcon! Damn, it's been a while …How are you?" The waitress questioned, before hugging the Patriarch in a friendly manner.

"I can't complaint. Don't I look as sexy as ever?" He teased, winking at her. "Are you ready for your lesson?" He turned his head, glancing at both of the female guests.

"Do we have a choice?" Katherine responded, wincing; while rolling her eyes to the wood bins inside the small storing space.

"No, you don't!" Mikael responded, unwavering. "Take care, Anita!" He added, before leading his steps outside to walk toward the garden.

"Ok, then … I'll leave you to whatever you need to learn from Falcon." Anita wished them good luck; before they all would step outside the shack. "Thanks for the help Joseph." She added, smiling at him; before opening the passenger door to hop herself on the seat.

"Anytime, sweetheart." He responded, smiling; before seeing her drive away.

"Big Joe has a crush…Big Joe has a crush!" Caroline teased him with a singing voice.

"Don't you mean Joooseph?" Katherine commented, chuckling.

"Shut the fuck up you two!" The henchman pointed a finger at them both. "I don't have a crush … Anita is a sweet girl, and I … I only wanted to give her a hand!"

"Huh … Huh…" Both girls nodded, arms crossed over her chest, large grins spreading on her lips.

"OK. How much for the both of you to close your big mouths about this?" He asked; pulling a few bills out of his back pocket.

"He does have a crush on her; isn't it cute?" Caroline commented, excitedly; clapping both of her hands.

"The cutest thing ever!" Katherine commented herself, smiling. "Stop fretting about it, Big Joe; we won't say a word." She shrugged. "In exchange, we might need you one day for something."

"I knew this was coming!" He growled, unhappy.

"What can we say?" Caroline added, grinning. "We believe in helping each other out."

"Bring your asses in the garden!" They all heard the loud order coming from the patriarch.

"Well, be glad I'll help you out with your shootout lesson." Big Joe commented, before stepping out.

"Our what?" Caroline questioned, mouth opened and in shock.

---

"Come near me!" Falcon demanded, signing both of the women to shorten the distance between them; before inserting two of his fingers between his lips to whistle Big Joe. "Put the bottles of beer on top of the small brick wall." He ordered the henchman in a yell.

"What are we…dogs?" Katherine mumbled, unhappy; while Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Yes Lord of the Ring," The henchman responded, between clenched teeth; while making a reverence and walking toward the said brick wall in the far end of the garden. "Do you want me to dance while doing it?"

"Do you want me to ask you to dance?" Mikael questioned, shrugging.

"Nope." The chubby man replied, with a dismissive gesture of his left hand. "Just try to not kill me girls; OK?"

"You do realize, big shot, that my friend and I, we don't have to follow your orders like Big Joe is forced to do." Katherine commented, narrowing her sight on the patriarch; while raising her chin and crossing both arms in front of her chest.

"Yes! I'm with what Katherine just said." Caroline put emphasize on her female friend's words.

"Do you want a gun, Katherine?" He questioned, unwavering.

"Yes, I do … but…" She tried to justified herself.

"Somewhere else to be, Caroline?" Falcon questioned, furthermore; while examining one of the guns.

"No." Caroline shrugged; unhappy. "But, that is beside the point!"

"The point sweetheart is that you tried to save your life from an intruder by brandishing a roller pin to my head." He replied, as matter of facts. "Do you think that you would have succeeded if I had been Desperaldo?"

Caroline shook her head, a loud sigh escaping her parted lips: "No!"

"Then, have the fucking decency to learn how to shoot a gun!" He spat back.

"Fine!" She replied, between clenched teeth. "Though, no one asked me if I wanted to."

"May I point out; oh mighty Falcon, that we didn't have a gun when you entered the mansion!" Katherine commented, unhappy.

"Well, now you'll have one in your hand!" Mikael replied, handing her one.

"This won't end well." Elijah shook his head; while leaning his right upper arm on the arch of one of his office windows, his sight narrowed on the scene.

"Nope it won't!" Klaus had to agree, with a shake of his own; the right side of his body leaning over one of the opened French doors leading to the long patio.

"What is she doing here?" El Diablo abruptly questioned, while noticing the arrival of Lucinda near the said pool; before seeing her lying down on one of the lounge chairs.

Klaus titled this head towards the back before bursting with laughter: "Dear Lucinda! I think she had a few hours off today."

"And she has decided that she wanted to pass them near the pool; and this while there is a shooting lesson? Unbelievable!" Elijah commented, swirling his muscular body on his biker boots to grab his cellphone left on his desktop to scroll down his contacts.

He retraced his steps to reach the window, while watching his head-maid grabbing her own cellphone in her canvas beach bag to respond to his call: "Que pasa, El Diablo. I'm off this afternoon."

"Yes, I'm aware Lucinda." He responded to her, before adding: "What are you doing lying down on a chair near the pool?"

"It's a beautiful sunny day, El Diablo. I'm sunbathing." She responded, waving the fingers of her right hand at his reflection in the office window.

"I highly doubt what you're telling me is the true reason that you're there!" He commented; toneless. "Could you find another spot to sunbathe?"

Lucinda perniciously grinned back at him, with a shake of her head: "No puedo hacerlo… I can't do that." She replied to him. "If I would move; I would miss the shootout lesson."

"And that is the point! I don't want you to stay where there are guns!" He spat back.

"If that would have been the case, I wouldn't have stayed a single second in this mansion as your head-maid." She replied, unwavering. "There are guns everywhere!"

"I give up with her!" Elijah shortened the distance between him and his brother; before throwing his cellphone in his hands.

"Lucinda… Que pasa mi amor?" Klaus greeted the Spanish woman, grinning; before hearing the subtle blank noise of the line being cut. "Damn woman… She hanged up on me!"

Elijah chuckled; retracing his steps to grab his cellphone back from the hands of his sibling: "At least she spoke to me. You're losing your touch, Nicklaus."

"No Christmas bonus for her this year!" Klaus warned, dryly; before crossing both arms over his chest.

"Oh yeah? Good luck with that, brother; you'll tell her the news, OK?" El Diablo replied, grinning.

"You see the bottles on the small wall?" Falcon pointed toward the said location; while addressing Katherine.

"Among other things or people, like Lucinda sitting at the pool." She replied, pointing toward the head-maid who was waiving at the patriarch. "What is she doing there?"

"It's obvious that she wants to laugh at us!" Caroline commented, sighing loudly.

"Que pasa mi hermosa?" Falcon yelled, all smiles; while waving back at the Spanish woman.

"I'm fed up…Give me that!" Katherine unexpectedly grabbed the gun from Mikael's hand; before pointing it toward the small wall to shoot all of the bottles placed in equilibrium on top. "There, happy now?" She questioned him; before dropping it back in his hands.

"What the fuck?" Elijah exclaimed, mouth opened and in shock by her shooting knowledge.

"Language brother." Klaus teased; while shaking his head. "And, I'll be damn! Katherine could easily shoot a bird in the sky. You knew about this?"

"No, of course I did not knew about this!" The eldest replied, shrugging.

"Look at the shocked expression on Lucinda's face. She must have swallowed ten flies with her mouth opened." Klaus commented, with a chuckle.

"Well, that will teach her a lesson!" Elijah replied, grinning.

"Where did you learn to shoot that way?" Mikael questioned; highly impressed by the tall brunette prowess.

"Bulgaria." Katherine responded, with a single shrug; before raising her voice at the henchman: "Big Joe, you can come back up from your hiding position now!"

The henchman slowly raise his head from behind the wall, before noticing that all bottles had been broken: "You did this? Damn … You're good, girl!"

"Yeah… I may say so myself." Katherine replied; before adding. "Not so useless after all!"

"You never told me that you could shoot this way?" Caroline scolded her friend.

"Well excuse-you, Caroline! When would I have been able to do that? Oh wait …Between two Cosmopolitans in one of the most popular bar lounge in New-York perhaps?" Katherine spat back.

"I'm sorry … I know our life changed a lot since we were even able to share a drink together in New-York." She presented her apologies.

"Your friend would know how to protect herself if needed be; now it's your turn." Mikael signed her to approach; after putting some bullets in the gun.

"Can she protect me at the same time?" Caroline suggested, with heavy breaths.

"No, she can't. Now move your ass here!" Falcon replied, unwavering.

"Hey Blondie?" Big Joe yelled from behind the small brick wall. "I'm not a bottle… DO NOT SHOOT AT ME!"

Caroline grimaced at the henchman, pulling her tongue out of her mouth; the heavy weight of the gun being placed in her hands by Falcon. The patriarch positioned her body in front of his own, pushing her legs apart, and straightening her shoulders; before she would (with her shaking hands) shoot at everything, except a single bottle (including Big Joe's boots – making him ran away screaming).

"Well that was to be expected." Klaus winced at the spectacle. "A good "A" score to my girl for effort, though."

"Your girl, really Nicklaus?" Elijah questioned, grinning.

"Figure of speech, Elijah." Vampiro replied, staring at his brother. "Do you want us to discuss your girl instead? We could discuss about you and Katherine in details perhaps?"

"No thank you." El Diablo replied, turning his head back to the garden; before opening his mouth in shock over Caroline's fist being thrown in their father's face, as well as a strong kick in his calf.

"What the fuck happened? What did we missed?" Klaus questioned, dumbfounded. "We blinked for two seconds?"

Seeing the blonde fury part ways with their father in a rapid walk to put distance between her and the garden; it had appeared clear to both men that the shooting sessions had come to an abrupt end!

---

The tall blonde had walked back inside the mansion (after a long walk around the premises of the mansion) and climbed the majestic marble stairs like a rodeo bull in a fury; closed fists placed on each side of her tensed body. The shooting lesson had ended more than an hour ago, but she was still pissed! How dare Falcon think that she was a helpless damsel in distress who was powerless, as well as a dumb blonde with no brain cells? Well, that what she presumed he thought that is…She could only hope that the closed right fist she had thrown on his chin and the kick she had given his calf would make him think twice about Caroline fucking Forbes… Extraordinary fashion New-York goddess!

She entered Klaus's suite, kicking her biker boots underneath the large sofa, without noticing the shadow lurking in the dark behind a large cabinet. Which, in all honesty, would have made the patriarch of this family roll his eyes in obvious proof that she wasn't fit to protect her own life or share the life of a biker boss such as his son, Klaus – aka Vampiro. And who had said that she wanted to share his son's life anyway? Certainly not her! Maybe with practice she would be able to kick all of their asses, Elijah's and Klaus's included!

"Enjoying sleeping in his bed?" She heard the feminine voice ask of her; before swirling on herself to face the intruder.

The tall brunette was standing in front of the sofa now, arms firmly crossed over her chest, chin rose and sight narrowed on what seemed to be her female victim of the day.

"Ashley…" Caroline trailed the fabricated name; while taking a deep breath inside her lungs.

"Oh!" Hayley Marshall let a sour smile appear on her lips; as well as a swearing word or two escaping her throat in low whispers. "You perfectly know that my name is Hayley; so drop the act!"

"Whatever!" Caroline shrugged, crossing her own arms in front of her raising chest. "What do you want, Hayley? Obviously Klaus is not in this room, so … If you want to see him, look around the mansion, text him or something; but leave me alone!"

"Who said that I wanted to see him?" Hayley replied, dryly. "You see Caroline," she added, taking a step to close the gap between them. "I don't like being played for a fool; and that is exactly what you did, and are still doing now."

"I have no idea what you're talking about?" She spat back at the brunette. "And I don't think we'll be friends any time soon; so … if you don't mind; leave!"

"Probably the only thing we can agree on!" Hayley commented, slyly. "Believe me I have no intention to be friend with a whore who stole my boyfriend by infiltrating his organization to find a place in his bed!"

"Oh my God!" Caroline grabbed both sides of her head with her hands. "You're delusional! I was abducted against my will by a psychopath, to be sold to the highest bidder. How can you even proclaim that I infiltrated a bikers' organization to steal your boyfriend?"

"Aren't you staying in his bedroom suite? Aren't you sleeping in his bed?" Hayley lashed out, pointing toward the gigantic one. "Answer me!"

"I …" Caroline let a single syllable out of her mouth, lowering her head down; while pinching the bridge of her nose. What was she supposed to respond to that, when technically the single answer to those two questions was a big fat yes! "Listen Hayley, the only reason I've been put into this suite is for security purposes. Katherine is in Elijah's, and …"

"The only reason… yeah…and I am Virgin Mary!" The brunette cut her dry. "You couldn't wait to spread your legs for him to fuck you!"

"Oh I doubt that you're that innocent!" Caroline replied, dryly; while rolling her eyes. "And for God sake, don't mistake me for yourself!"

"You're such a whore!" Hayley lashed out; before giving her a good push to make her female competition loose her equilibrium. "I'm about to kick your ass, Barbie!"

"Oh bring it on, bitch!" Caroline accepted the challenge, rolling the long sleeves of her Harley t-shirt up her elbows. "I am more than able to kick yours!"

---

"Lucinda, Que pasa?" Klaus asked the Spanish maid, a smirk raising the right side of his lips; while walking by her side on the long patio. "Enjoying your hours of freedom while sunbathing?"

"Si Senor Klaus!" The petite woman responded, grinning; while flipping the pages of a magazine. "Much entertainment to keep me occupy today." She added. "And it keeps coming and coming!"

"Well; I'm quite happy that you are content by it all!" Klaus teased, continuing his walk to enter the mansion, only to come to an abrupt halt when his mind realized the subtle imply of her last words. "Lucinda?"

"Mm?" She hummed the sound, smiling; while keeping her sight down on her reading.

Vampiro slowly retraced his steps to reach her sitting position: "What do you mean by: it keeps coming and coming?" He asked, narrowing his sight on his head-maid. "The show is over; the shooting lesson has concluded."

"Woman's bubbling, Senor Klaus; don't worry about it." She tried to cover it; smiling.

"I doubt that!" He responded, crossing both arms in front of his bulged chest. "Spell it; woman!"

"Well, I saw that Senorita Hayley Marshall parked her jeep in the driveway not even ten minutes ago," She informed, all smiles. "She asked me if she could wait for you in your bedroom suite."

"Please tell me you said: no!" Klaus inquired; hands placed on each side of his waist.

"I replied that I couldn't say if she could or not, and that she should invite herself if it pleased her." Lucinda informed, unwavering.

"Are you kidding me?" The biker boss exclaimed, in shock. "Lucinda! Caroline is probably in my bedroom suite right now!"

"Si … That much I know!" She rolled her eyes to the blue sky. "I threw water on your bedspread, and both of your faces, remember?"

"For fuck sake! What were you thinking?" Klaus nervously brushed his curly hair with his right hand. "I parted ways with Hayley. She'll shred Caroline into pieces, Lucinda!" He informed her, pulling his cellphone out from the back pocket of his black pair of jeans.

The Spanish woman lowered her magazine, raising her head to give her full attention to her boss: "That is brand new information to me, Senor Klaus! Though, it wasn't a minute too soon for you to part ways with her!"

"I wasn't aware I needed to share my personal life with you?" Vampiro replied, dryly; placing the phone near his right ear. "Big Joe!" He spat the name of his right arm man into his cellphone; pacing back and forth in front of the exterior lounge chair. "Hayley is in my suite… Yeah, with Caroline. Meet me there!" He concluded, pushing his electronic device back in its pocket; before walking toward two of the French doors leading inside the mansion.

"Senor Klaus?" Lucinda called him; in a higher tone.

"What…Lucinda?" He replied; turning on himself to face her once again.

"For what it's worth; Señorita Hayley has no chance to win against Señorita Caroline." Lucinda commented. "Yeah … She's a biker Princess," She shrugged; grimacing. "But, Señorita Caroline is a survivor; and she is certainly the real fighter between the two."

Klaus stared at his head-maid for a second; before shaking his head and letting a grin spread on his full lips, only to rush his steps inside.

Lucinda, most days, was a fucking pain in their asses … but damn it; 9 times on 10, she was right!

---

Katherine walked nonchalantly through the downstairs corridor, hands buried in the back pockets of her black (skinny legs) pair of Designer jeans. She suddenly came into an abrupt halt when she saw El Diablo stepping out of his office, only to raise his head to meet her sight.

"Hey!" He saluted, smiling; before closing the door behind his back and slowly approaching her standing position.

"Hey yourself!" She responded, returning his smile; before lowering her sight at her feet.

There has always been this sweet and indescribable awkwardness between them, whenever they would find themselves together with no one around. Like two teenagers who were longing for each other … Which was ridiculous if you took a single look at the man!

"Where were you heading, Katherine?" He questioned, politely.

"Nowhere in particular." She responded; shrugging. "After the unnecessary shooting lesson with your father, I was bored."

"So you were taking a walk in my…What did you call it again?" Elijah teased, raising his head up to think; before pointing a finger at his right temple. "Oh yes! It's coming back to me now … In my ridiculous large mansion."

"Fine… Laugh at me all you want, biker boss!" She responded, pouting; before crossing both arms in front of her chest.

"I was heading toward the entrance," He pointed toward the left side of the corridor; grinning at her adorableness. "You want to accompany me?"

"Sure." Katherine agreed, with a shy smile; before slowly walking by El Diablo' side. "But I don't want to retain you from whatever important tasks you were planning to do in your organization today?"

"Nothing special," Elijah responded, shrugging, and while shaking his head. "I was actually taking a break and thinking of working on my bike in the garage for an hour or so; it can't wait." He informed, taking a discreet glance at her. She had changed her clothes. His burning sight slowly brushed her feet dressed of a pair of high heels pumps, her long legs; reaching the deep neckline of her white bodysuit, before ending on her long brown curls and her beautiful face. "Why didn't you tell me that you were more than capable to fire a gun?"

The question startled and surprised her immensely. How would you share that information about yourself with a biker boss such as the bearded hot man that was walking by her side; and couldn't stop looking at her like she was the most delicious dessert known to mankind? If that wasn't enough to make her shiver and fill her core with an intense fire of desire for him, the single mention of the "garage" reminded Katherine of an earlier moment between them, as well as how much of a sex beast Elijah could become when he was letting go of his legendary reserve, as well as being under the influence of alcohol.

"You never asked me, Elijah." The tall brunette responded, point blank. "And … It was too priceless to see both your face and Klaus's, glued to the windows, when I started to shoot directly at the targets." She added; letting a small laugh escape her parted red lips.

"I am rarely surprised by someone or something, Katerina; but, this time around; I believe you surprised all of us; and my father even more." Elijah added, grinning.

"Where is your father by the way?" She questioned.

"He left with a few of the men he came with." He replied, truthfully.

"Already?" Katherine replied; highly surprised. "Well, that was a short visit to say the least!"

"Well, that is pretty much his style to never stay at the same place for too long." Elijah explained to her; before holding his walking steps. "Even more so if that said visit was triggered to happen because of our common friend, Lucinda." He added, winking at her. "She put stuff in his head about the dynamic in this house and my father being who he is, he wanted to see with his own eyes what the truth truly was."

"Oh!" She exclaimed; coming to a halt herself. "Our dear "friend", Lucinda. She's one of a kind that one."

"That's a way to put it." El Diablo replied, smiling. "But she is loyal and caring in her own way."

"Yay! Like when she calls you a "puta" or throw a bucket of cold water to your face." Katherine replied, rolling her eyes.

"That is her unique way to express that you deserve her respect." He commented, pointing a finger at the brunette.

"Yeah … Whatever you say, Elijah." She replied, shaking her head. "So, your father is gone then?"

"Yap." He nodded, smiling; before adding: "But not before admitting that Klaus and I had two kick-ass women as guests in our home."

"He did not say that!" Katherine blushed, shaking her head.

"Believe what you want, woman. You want to sit for a few minutes?" He suggested; showing a large ottoman seat area placed near one of the walls in the entrance of the mansion.

"Sure." Katherine agreed to his suggestion, taking a sitting position by his side; before nervously hitting the heels of her shoes on the marble floor. "I was wondering…Now that you have seen it with your own two eyes; and that you know that I can shoot, will you grant me my request to have a gun for my protection?" Katherine demanded, hopeful.

"I …." El Diablo started with a single syllable, mouth opened … What was he supposed to answer to that? He knew now that she was more than capable of handling a gun all by herself. But, was he willing to give her one? Wasn't it like accepting "her" in "his" world?

"It's OK; forget about it!" She waved her left hand and shook her head.

"I did not say no yet to your particular and very delicate request, Katerina," He winced a little bit repeating her own word. "I'm asking you to allow Klaus and me to think about it a little bit more."

"Fair enough." Katherine responded, nodding. "It would be one of your guns after all."

"Where did you learn to shoot like a man, anyway?" He questioned.

"Hum… In Bulgaria, actually…" She informed him; before turning her head to bury her sight in his dark brown eyes. "Between the corrupted police and all the burglaries and illegal stuff in the country my father wanted me to be safe if needed be. I think I have held a gun in my hand before I could hold a lipstick."

"You don't need a lipstick," Elijah commented, lowering his dark sight on her parted lips. "You don't need any makeup; you're a beautiful woman with or without it." He added, raising his right hand to push a few loose curls behind her ear. "But, having the knowledge to use a gun the right way could get handy someday." He commented, winking; before lowering his hand down on his lap. "Smart move from your father's part."

Good Lord! If he hadn't lower his hand down, she would have fainted at his feet for lack of oxygen in her lungs, and this for the single reason of holding her damn breath for so long!

She nodded, a shy smile spreading on her lips; before bringing all her hair on the right side of her neck. Which after much thinking from her part, wasn't the brightest idea considering that he was now glancing at the silky skin exposed to his sight!

"Oh by the way; your girlfriend came to see you yesterday." She skillfully changed the subject to save her ass and sanity. "We had a lovely chit-chat in the large living room."

"Who are you talking about …Camille?" Elijah exclaimed, and frowned in surprise.

"You have another one snatched somewhere?" Katherine questioned, unwavering.

"Oh yeah! Don't you know that fact about me already, Katherine? Biker boss such as myself and my brother Klaus; we have a girlfriend in every city of the country…of the world even!" He teased, openly. "The only problem," He added, smirking; before leaning his upper body near hers to whisper in her ear. "is that we have no time to see them between the multiple shootouts, the human trafficking and handling a psychopath such as Desperaldo."

"Ass!" She replied, chuckling; before hitting his right upper arm with her closed fist. "Well… She seemed very eager to see you; and you seem very surprised that it was the case, Elijah. Why is that?"

He shrugged, avoiding to look at her in the eyes: "I don't know why she would come here."

"You don't know why your girlfriend would come here to see you?" She questioned, dumbfounded.

"That is not what I meant, Katherine." He replied; letting a long and loud sigh escape his lips. "I don't know why she would come at the mansion to see me since we have parted ways." He replied, turning his head to bury his sight in hers.

Damn! She did not see that one coming…

"What …. What do you mean, since…Since you have parted ways?" She questioned him, furthermore; stammering all over the place.

She perfectly knew the answer to that one, but she wanted to hear it from his own lips!

"It's getting complicated and more dangerous with Desperaldo," He started explaining to the young woman; while nervously rubbing his hands together. "It was the right time and the right thing to do to put her in safety."

"Oh … I see!" She swallowed hard, lowering her blushing face down. "Well, that explain why she wanted to give me a free psychological session on what kind of damage a Stockholm syndrome would trigger in me."

Elijah leaned his head toward the back before bursting out laughing: "Except, I'm not your "captor", I'm your "savior"."

"Yeah … Tell her that, please!" Katherine responded, chuckling.

"I'm sorry you had to go through an uncomfortable exchange because of me, Katherine." He presented his apologies; turning his head to bury his sight in hers, once more.

"Well… Mm…" She coughed discreetly; in search for the right choice of words, while biting her bottom lip. "It is fine," She waved a dismissive hand. "There wasn't any harm done. Plus, Caroline rushed inside the room to save me and demanded a session to explore why Klaus was calling her Pippi Longstocking; which trigger Camille to leave the mansion in matter of seconds."

El Diablo chuckled some more; pinching the bridge of his nose: "That is something that I would have loved to see!"

"Yeah … It was certainly one of Caroline's shining moment and performance." Katherine replied, grinning; lowering down her head.

They stayed silent for a few minutes; enjoying their togetherness and quietness of the mansion.

"Are you … Are you happy here?" He finally questioned, unexpectedly.

"What?" She rose her sight right back at him; shocked.

"I mean," El Diablo shrugged, nonchalantly. "Putting aside the abduction… It's not that bad, right? You have found a safe place…Dare I say a home for the time being. Plus, you and I, we get along… most days." He added, teasingly.

"I … Yeah, for now it's my home. I feel safe here … with you, Elijah." The tall brunette admitted, smiling back at him.

He rose his right arm; slowly sliding the back of his right hand over the curve of her cheek; while triggering a range of goosebumps in her entire body.

"It's not because we "can't", that we "don't" feel nor "want" to be intimate with each other." He whispered, softly.

Shit! May God have mercy on her raising heartbeats and trembling body!

"It's "you" who said that we couldn't be together." She replied; promptly jumping on her feet to put some distance between her and the man who was making her heart beat faster.

She needed to breathe, she needed to breathe…

"That's not what I said, Katerina?" He replied, surprised by her sudden outburst of emotions.

"But that is what you implied without saying the words." She responded; crossing both arms in front of her chest, chin rose.

"Fine!" Elijah slowly rose on his legs himself. "That's what we both decided that would be better for the long run." He reminded her. "We decided that we couldn't and wouldn't cross that line."

"And in the meantime I need to act like it doesn't matter that you've just told me that you have broken things up with Camille." She spat back; her chest raising over her heavy intake of air. "How hypocrite of me … But, even more of you, Elijah!"

"It matters and you know it, woman." El Diablo commented, slowly reaching her standing positon to grab her chin to raise her head. "But we can't act on it; it's too dangerous, Katerina."

"So," She started, shrugging; while burying her sight in his dark eyes. "You have broken things up with her, not only … not only to keep her safe, then?"

"No," He admitted with a single shake of his head; averting his sight for a short moment. "…Not only for that single reason." He added, before grabbing the loops of her jeans to unexpectedly bring her in full contact with his chest, under her loud gasp of surprise.

The leader of the Skulls closed his eyes, inhaling her unique scent that made this woman so unique and so fucking perfect for him; it was about time he admitted it to himself… If only they could?

He rose both of his hands on her waist, before gently cupping her face to bless her forehead of a kiss: "Your heart knows what the other reason is, Katerina."

"Elijah…" She whispered his name; raising her right hand to caress the line of his bearded jaw.

"Fucking hell!" They heard the swearing words; before pulling apart and seeing Big Joe appear in front of them, out of breath, after a run.

"What is happening?" Elijah questioned, all of his senses in alert.

"Hayley Marshall…That's what happened!" His henchman replied, hands placed on each side of his waist to catch his breath. "She's in Klaus's suite, having a fight with Blondie." He explained furthermore. "Klaus called me to bring my ass there to help him pull them apart."

Katherine chuckled, lowering her head down; while brushing the tip of her boots on the marble floor.

"That is amusing to you, Katherine?" Elijah questioned, dumbfounded. "Your female friend is in trouble. You should worry about her."

"What? No, it doesn't amuse me per say, Elijah. I can only presume that Klaus broke things up with his biker girlfriend too; right?" She commented, as a matter of facts; narrowing her sight on him, arms firmly crossed in front of her chest.

El Diablo sighed loudly, lowering his blushing face to avoid to save himself from answering that particular question; with a rapid glance at Big Joe who shrugged, helpless.

"Caroline is going to kick that princess biker's ass in no time, Elijah." Katherine stipulated; firmly. "I would call an ambulance for Hayley Marshall if I was you."

"What are you waiting for? Go!" Elijah ordered his right arm man, pointing his left hand toward the majestic stair.

---

"I'll shred you into bloody pieces!" Hayley yelled, pushing her female competitor on the carpet; while throwing her closed fist into her face.

Caroline cried in pain, touching her face to feel her swollen cheek under the vicious attack.

"Bitch!" She fought back; pushing the tall brunette on the side, before straddling her hips to pull out a good strand of her hair out of her skull.

"Ouch!" The tall brunette cried her pain.

"OK you two, that's enough!" Klaus ordered them to separate.

Vampiro grabbed Caroline by the waist, squirming and kicking; while Big Joe retained Hayley from retaliating, with a firm grip on her wrists.

"Let go of me, Big Joe!" Hayley screamed from the top of her lungs.

"Women! The both of you need to calm the fuck down!" Klaus swore; while tightening his muscular arms around Caroline's tense body.

"Tell your man to let go of me; you don't have a right over me anymore, Klaus!" Hayley demanded, at once.

"Don't listen to her, Big Joe; push her out of our home with a good kick in her ass!" Caroline yelled to him.

"Caroline! Stop it … for me; please?" Klaus whispered in her right ear; before feeling her body relax in his firm grip. "Let Hayley go, Big Joe!" He ordered his henchman.

"OK." The chubby man responded, releasing his own grip on the tall girl.

Hayley Marshall stumbled, strengthening her upper body; before passing the back of her right hand over her bleeding lips: "You made a huge mistake choosing that whore over me, Klaus!" She lashed out. "She's crazy! She pulled my hair out of my skull!"

"After you attacked me and punch me in the face…You got that right!" Caroline growled, between clenched teeth. "And I would do it again!"

"I called your father. A few of his men are on their way to escort you out of the premises." Klaus informed her.

"Wow! Just wow … There is no end to your mean ways of throwing me out of your life; is there?" She spat, back. "Tell me something Klaus; is she that good in bed your new whore?"

Caroline growled, squirming her body inside Klaus's grip of steel: "Relax!" He whispered, once more; to calm her down

"Come with me Hayley, I'll bring you downstairs." Big Joe suggested, before gently grabbing her left forearm.

"Let go of me! I can walk myself out." She pulled her arm away, taking a few steps toward the opened door; before holding her pace to spat her last threatening words:. "I'll bring her to hell, Klaus; mark my words!"

They watched her exit the room, before Klaus would ordered to his right arm man: "Go outside! Assure yourself that she will leave with her father's men."

"Will do." Big Joe nodded; before addressing a shy smile to Caroline (whose eyes filled with tears). "You're a kick-ass woman; I'm proud of you, Blondie."

---

After the departure of both Hayley and Big Joe from the bedroom suite, Klaus had slowly released his grip on Caroline; only to see her swirl on herself, stare at him in silence for a good thirty seconds, before storming like a fury inside the bedroom.

Vampiro had opened and closed his mouth a few times( completely dumbfounded by her reaction), while shaking his head; before deciding to leave the suite for a few minutes to give her time to breathe and assure himself that Hayley had left the premises.

And now… not even fifteen minutes after, he was back!

He stood tall and straight, hands placed on each side of his waist, his sight following the tornado in the room that bear the name of Caroline Forbes!

She barely glanced at him, slamming the bathroom door, banging the dresser' drawers; while reciting between her teeth a dialogue that only she could comprehend.

"Caroline…Do you want to talk about it?" He questioned; uncomfortable in his biker boots probably for the first time in his entire life. "I'm sorry this happened."

"I'm sorry? Pardon me, Klaus; you want to talk to me now?" She span on herself; chin rose and arms firmly crossed over her chest. "What should we talk about… mm…Let see? What about the fact that you let your father drag me outside Elijah's office to give me a shooting lesson in the garden? Did you for one second think that it would traumatize me to even hold a gun in my hand?"

"I … I did not think of that at first." Vampiro responded, truthfully and shamefully; lowering his head and sight down. "For us, in our kind of outlaw life; it is second nature to carry one, love."

"You did not think of that? Really? You did not think that I had been shot by Desperaldo' men and that I had almost bleed to death in this bed!" She pointed toward it; tears filling her eyes. "You did not think that the last thing in my life that I would want or need was to hold a fucking gun in my hand!"

"I …. No, I did not." He swallowed, keeping his sight down. "I thought you wanted to have one like Katherine!"

Damn his bad thinking … For once she was right! As much as he knew himself to be a biker boss who would always do good for the Skulls organization and die for his men. He had certainly acted like an asshole this time around!

"I should have stopped my father from dragging you outside; I'm sorry." He presented his deepest apologies; taking a sitting position on the left arm of the armchair. "In my defense, I know that Falcon did it to help you out; Caroline. He knows how messed-up and cruel our world truly is, not to mention that asshole of Desperaldo, and he felt that you could gain confidence and security from his knowledge."

"He insulted me when I couldn't shoot a single bottle!" She threw her anger at his face. "Like I've been born into this bikers' organization and I should know better!"

Klaus crossed his arms and lowered his face to let a chuckle escape his parted lips.

"What is so funny now?" She demanded to know; between her clenched teeth.

"Well, love…You have threw your fist at his face and kicked his calf in return. I say that you're even now." He responded to her question, biting his bottom lip to forbid himself to laugh.

"Don't you dare continue to laugh at my face; it's not funny!" She stomped her foot on the tick bedroom carpet. "I am mortified to face him now."

"You won't have to." Klaus responded, grinning and with a shake of his head.

"What…Why?" Caroline asked, in surprised.

"He left with his men." He responded; crossing both of his arms over his bulged chest. "But… Not before saying to me that though he thought Katherine would know how to kill a man without even blinking; you in the other hand would fight until your last breath and would know how to survive."

"He did not say that." She refused to believe, with a single shake of her head.

"Oh believe me! I'm not known to lie, Pippi." Klaus swore; raising his right hand over his chest and heart. "I tend to believe the same about you, Caroline Forbes. You're a true survivor. Not a lot of souls have lived another day after hitting my father in the face. You are one of the rare ones." He added, winking.

She blushed slightly over the compliment, lowering her head down: "Well… I hope he'll act more gentlemanly toward me the next time he'll visit."

"Gentlemanly?" Klaus winced at the single word and thought. "I think Big Joe has more manners than my own father to be truthful."

"You're probably right." She responded, raising the left side of her lips into a smile. "Does he act like that with your mother? Or are they separated now because he had acted like a pig in the past?"

"Step-mom actually." He responded, as a matter-of-facts. "They separated for a few years and he met my mother and they had me. And how may I describe my siblings' mom, in a polite way? Her name is Astrid. Both she and Mikael have emerged in life from the same cloth to be truthful; so they are able to stomach each other very well, but at the same time they are always breaking up." And I thought you would have caught that part from our private discussion while you and Katherine had your ears glued to the office door?" He teased, grinning; while tilting his head to the right.

She rolled her eyes to the ceiling; before pulling her tongue at him: "Couldn't hear a thing through that thick panel!"

"Damn! We need to ask Elijah to change that door A.S.A.P. then." He teased, winking.

"Screw you; Klaus!" She spat back.

"We discussed that subject of screwing each other already, and, if my memory serves me right; we decided it would be better not to cross that bridge. Remember Caroline?" He winked playfully.

She blushed slightly at his mention, while lowering her head to avoid his intense glance; before raising her right hand to brush her bruise… That bitch of Hayley had hit her hard and her cheek was hurting her like fire!

"I'm sorry," Vampiro presented his deepest apologies for the second time; before gently pushing her hand away to grab her chin to examine her cheek. "She hit you good, did she?" He commented, unhappy.

Damn! He hated with a passion to see her hurt like that!

"We should put ice on your bruise." He suggested, softly.

She pushed his hand away, spinning on her heels to reach the bed; while putting some distance between them: "I can put my own ice on my face, thank you!"

"OK, love," Klaus sighed loudly; slapping both of his palms on his lap. "Let's have it! Let's face the damn elephant in the room! Let's throw your anger at me!" He suggested, with opened arms. "You won't be happy until you throw to my face what is eating you inside."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" She responded, dryly; while grabbing some washed clothes that Lucinda had put on the bedspread, only to frantically place them in a few drawers of the large dresser.

"Fine!" He replied, grinning; arms now firmly crossed over his chest. "I'm free for the rest of the day. I can wait as long as you will stubbornly make me wait!"

"Don't you have another girlfriend that you need to break things up with?" She mumbled between clenched teeth.

"Well, now that you are mentioning it," He teased; chin rose. "There's Sophie in California, Lolita in Mexico City, and …"

"For God sake!" She span on herself; closed fists firmly placed on each side of her hips. "Why didn't you tell me, Klaus that you had broken things up with Hayley?"

"Here we go!" Vampiro pointed a finger at her. "There's the elephant in the room!" He added, slowly rising on his legs to close the distance between them. "What version do you want?"

"What … What do you mean by that?" She responded; dumbfounded by his request.

"Well love… I can give you the polite, no ground breaking respond, or the truthful – it'll hit you in the guts - one; but frankly I'm not sure you're ready for the ladder." He responded, narrowing his sight on her; while standing at a few inches of her.

"Bite me!" She spat back; head rose to bury her sight in his greenish eyes.

"The polite one is that both I and Elijah decided that we needed to keep Camille and Hayley at arm length from our organization, to keep them both safe and alive from Desperaldo." He informed her of the half-truth.

"And the truthful one?" Caroline asked; the beats of her heart drumming in fast pace inside her chest.

"The truthful one is that part of me broke things up with Hayley because I realized that I want that blonde fury whom entered my life and who wouldn't let me fuck her in this bed; even if she wants it as much as me," Klaus said, point blank; while pointed toward it. "Mostly, because she's afraid of her own feelings toward me. She's afraid of facing the music and accepting to grab this chance from life and the short amount of time we could have to be together." He added, catching his own breath. "And I accepted it, and respected her wishes; because what I want the most in this life is to keep her safe." He concluded; burying his sight inside her soul. "Happy now?"

She stood in front of him; breathing heavily while tears were filling her eyes…

"Put ice on your cheek to help with the pain." He added, toneless; before turning on his biker boots to leave the bedroom suite.

He wanted her …Not Hayley!

---

In the early evening; Katherine and Caroline entered the mansion's kitchen, tip toeing around the island to slowly approach Lucinda who was mixing some cake ingredients in a big ceramic bowl.

Without a single ounce of doubt the plan they had both concocted in their heads was a "crazy loco" one! Inviting themselves as female escorts at Mateo's mansion party in a couple of days (yes, they had caught that part of the conversation) , which should regroup all of the mafia' families and bikers organizations, was both ludicrous and dangerous, but at this particular time of the game it was the only way they could get involved in bringing Desperaldo down!

"Que pasa, señorita?" The Spanish head-maid raised her voice at them; while making their souls jump out of their bodies. "Do you want some evening snack food?"

Katherine glanced at Caroline who nodded a sign at her female friend to start explaining herself to the Spanish woman.

"Que pasa, Lucinda?" Katherine greeted her; wrapping a long brown curl around her fingers.

"What do you want, food? Beverage?" Lucinda repeated, raising her sight at the brunette; while shrugging.

"No, thank you; we are good." She shook her head, smiling shyly. "What are you doing there?"

"My job, I bake stuff… señorita Katherine!" The petite woman replied, dryly; rolling her eyes. "Is there something that you want from me? If not … ¡Vete! … Go away!" She whooshed them with a wave of her right hand.

"Isn't she the funniest and most adorable person, ever?" Caroline complimented, between clenched teeth; while wincing at her own say.

"Oh yeah … Lucinda is the best!" Katherine agreed with a forced smile.

Lucinda sighed loudly, lowering her bowl down on the marble counter to face both women. She crossed both of her arms over her chest; before raising her chin and saying: "The answer is no!"

"But you don't even know what it is that we wanted to ask you?" Katherine replied, pissed.

"I don't care!" The head-maid replied, shrugging. "I want nothing to do with it."

"You see Lucinda," Caroline tried the softer voice and approach. "Here's the thing…"

"It is still "no"; señorita Caroline!" She replied, unwavering.

"Fine!" Caroline stomped both of her feet on the ceramic floor; closed fists placed on each side of her tensed body. "Katherine and I we want to infiltrate Mateo's party as female escorts to get some inside on Desperaldo's next move."

Lucinda remained speechless, eyes widely opened; while keeping her insistent stare on both women.

"So? Could you help us with some clues and ideas how to make it happen?" Katherine asked, biting her bottom lip; while nervously rubbing both of her hands together.

The Spanish woman let a devious smile spread on her lips; before tilting her head toward the back to burst out laughing: "Oh thank you, señorita, gracias, for granting me the chance to laugh so hard; it's been a while!"

"She is laughing directly in our faces, Katherine!" Caroline commented; both arms now crossed over her raising chest.

"What is so funny about it, Lucinda?" Katherine snapped back.

"Señorita Katherine, señorita Caroline; please tell me something: do you have the slightest idea what kind of evening, that cucaracha of Mateo is hosting?" Lucinda questioned, more seriously. "Mm? No? Nada?" She added, perniciously. "Let me put some thoughts into both of your brainless heads, then! Millions are gambled in poker at the tables with the biggest men of the mafia cartel present. Those men are usually backed up by their gorillas harmed to the teeth. Women are there for their sexual pleasures, displayed to their eyes like animals, almost naked and ready to satisfy their most cruel abuse by fucking them on the table in front of their male competition." She added, cruelly. "Does it ring a bell now, ladies?"

Both Katherine and Caroline whitened under the subtle imply of what Desperaldo had previously put them through when they had been abducted by him. Though, Lucinda' tale of those kind of evenings seemed even more horrific and despicable.

"But, aren't those women the primary source of information if you wanted to know something that is related to the mafia cartel?" Katherine counterattacked, sure of herself.

Lucinda narrowed her sight on the brunette for a few minutes; before letting a loud and long sigh escape her parted lips: "Perhaps, they are a source of information." She had to reluctantly agree. "But they wouldn't share any with you out of fear of being killed."

"But, they wouldn't give that information to us," Caroline objected, grinning. "They would give that information to the two female escorts that we would portray!"

"They aren't called escorts, señorita Caroline; they are called putas!" Lucinda rectified Caroline's word.

"Oh, really? Isn't it what you called me, Lucinda?" Katherine replied, tit for tat, to the Spanish woman; while tilting her head, a large grin spreading on her face.

"Maybe." The petite Spanish woman grinned and shrugged; before examining the few bruises on Caroline's face. "Did you kick Senorita Hayley's ass?"

"Yes!" Caroline nodded; her head rose with proud feelings. "And I would again if I needed be!"

"Good! I'm proud of you. Now…Basta!" The head-maid asked them to stop; before grabbing both of their forearms to pushed them out of her kitchen. "Out of my kitchen!"

"Does this mean you will help us, Lucinda?" Caroline questioned; hopeful.

"Yes? No? Perhaps?" Katherine added, before they would be both pushed outside the kitchen, into the corridor; a door being slammed in their faces.

"It's hard to say if it's a "yes" or a "no" with her, would you say?" Caroline commented, shrugging.

---

NEW YORK CITY

---

Rebekah Mikaelson dragged her slippers over the length of the fur rug to reach her cellphone (placed on top of a side table) that was ringing none stop since the time she had entered her bathroom suite to take a warm bath. She tightened the belt of her silk dressing gown around her waist; while noticing the night sky that had fallen over New-York city, as well as putting her penthouse apartment in a comforting penumbra.

"What?" She spat at the electronic device.

"Where the hell were you sister?" Kol exclaimed, stress-fully.

"Stop fussing over me, Kol!" She replied, dryly. "I'm a big girl; I know how to take care of myself. And, just so you know I was soaking my sore body in a bubble bath after a long day at work." She added, reaching the opened space high-tech kitchen to grab a bottle of red wine, to pour herself a large glass. "Also; don't think I did not see the guy on his motorcycle bike parked on my street day in – day out. I know both Elijah and Klaus got me a watch dog!"

"I'm sorry, Bekah." He presented his apologies; sighing loudly. "Since the shootout…"

"You lost your fucking mind? You are acting like a damn lunatic? You're all over the place? All of the above, Kol?" Rebekah listed; gulping her entire glass.

"As oppose to you drinking, sister?" He replied, tit for tat.

"Fuck yourself!" She responded, slyly.

"That was my intention later in the evening, Bekah." Kol replied, chuckling.

"Eww… Brother, please … Keep your sexual life to yourself!" She replied, wincing. "It's enough that I have to hear it from father from time to time."

"Or lack of it at the moment, you mean?" He commented, sighing loudly. "How's the old man, I wonder?"

"You're losing your touch with women in your old age?" She replied, teasingly. "I thought you would have managed to put the pretty detective in your bed as of now."

"Stop with your bad jokes! For once, I'm trying to keep my head out of the water for the family, Bekah." The hacker replied, unaffected by her comment. "Since the shootout, the graduate that I play has been asked to not present himself at the precinct before further notice from detective Bonnie Bennett."

"You think she is "on" to something with the abduction and the shootout?" She sat on the leather sofa; dropping her glass on the coffee table.

"How the fuck do you want me to know? I can't talk to her or be at the precinct!" He responded, frustrated.

"Can't you hacked her laptop at the precinct?" Rebekah asked, urgently.

"Already done; and I found nothing!" Kol lashed out, raising on his legs to pace back and forth in the length of his hotel room. "Except for a few research on bikers. Which is to be expected after the shootout."

"Don't your alias has an internship to fulfill there?" She questioned, furthermore. "Isn't it before a specific date?"

"Yeah … Before the end of the month." He thought out loud while responding to her.

"Then, she'll contact you soon." She responded, hopeful. "She won't have any other choice."

"You're probably right." He calmed himself down; before sitting on the edge of the large bed. "What about that asshole of Tyler Lockwood?"

"I'll meet him in a couple of days." Rebekah informed her brother.

"My deepest sympathies; that man is a dick! OK. I'll keep you posted, Sis." Kol informed her. "Hey?"

"What?" She replied; her sight buried in the darkness of the night through her floor to ceiling windows.

"Are you OK?" He questioned, in a softer voice. "I know you lost someone close to you because of the shootout."

"I'm fine," She lied through her teeth; before ending the exchange. "Take care Kol."

Rebekah lowered her cellphone down on the coffee table; before closing her eyes and inhaling air inside her lungs. Since that horrific event, not one single day she hasn't woke up in the middle of the night sweating and screaming after reliving the shootout and the macabre discovery of her chauffeur being killed in day light in the streets of New York City.

To be truthful, it's not like she hasn't grown up in the middle of shootouts and bloody battles between her family and Desperaldo. But this time around, it had touched a civilian that was close to her heart, and had nothing to do with it.

The rime of the doorbell rang inside the penthouse. The youngest of the Mikaelsons reopened her eyes, turning her head toward the corridor leading to the front door. She had ordered take-out; therefore, it must have been the delivery guy who rang it. She dragged her feet to the entrance door, before sliding the chain and turning the lock to open the panel.

"Mr. Stefan Salavatore?" She pronounced his name in shock of seeing the man standing on her doorstep; before lashing out to his face. "Leave! You are not welcome in my home!"

She pushed the door to close it on his face; only to have him placed his foot to retain the heavy panel.

"Oh come on, Counsellor Mikaelson … Or can I call you Rebekah now that we have met more than once?" He tilted his head; an evil smile spreading on his full lips. "Not being welcomed in your home is the least of my worries; and even more of yours. I believe we are due for a little chit chat you and I."

"I'll call the police… Better! I'll call Detective Bonnie Bennett and tell her that you're harassing me." She threatened him, dryly; while still holding the door in place.

"To tell her what?" He chuckled; shaking his head. "I brought Chinese? Isn't it what you have ordered? It was quite easy to slide a twenty dollars bill in the hands of the delivery guy to invite myself inside this luxurious building where you do live. Therefore, I don't think that the watch dog parked on the street on his motorcycle, that both of your brothers brought here to watch you, has noticed me."

Rebekah whitened at the mention of both Klaus and Elijah, the beats of her heart raising dangerously high inside her chest.

"I … I don't know… I don't know what you're talking about." She stammered, nervously. "For the last time, I'm asking you to leave!"

"And for the last time; I'll respectfully say: "no"!" He spat back, before kicking the door open to cross the threshold.

Rebekah backed away, rushing her steps to reach the small console table; before retrieving a small gun from the drawer to point it at her assailant.

"I swear, I'll put a bullet inside your skull if you don't leave, Mr. Salvatore!" She lashed out; pointing the said gun at his head. "I'll call it self-defense in court."

"You're looking quite … undressed tonight." He commented, perniciously; his sight locked on the roundness of her breasts picking through the dressing gown.

Rebekah blushed at his remark, but kept herself immobile. She wasn't born yesterday! She knew that if she had lowered one of her hands to close her dressing gown; he would have grabbed the gun from her in a blink of an eye!

"Talking about …SKULLS! Isn't it the name of the outlaw organization of both of your brothers; counselor?" He questioned, while pointing a finger at her; before crossing both arms in front of his chest (dressed of the same leather jacket he had worn the first time she had met him, the day of the shootout).

"For the last time, I don't know what you're talking about!" She rose her chin, cocking the gun to signify to him that she would kill him in a heartbeat if he wasn't leaving her home in the next ten seconds. "I don't have brothers!"

"So…You opted for the hard way?" Stefan winced, unhappy; slowly sliding his sight on the length of her. "As you wish, sweetheart!" He shrugged; before unexpectedly kicking his right leg in the air to throw the gun she was holding on the marble floor.

Rebekah tried to ran in direction of the living room area to pick up her cellphone, but he grabbed her by the waist in a grip of steel. She kicked her elbows in his stomach to free herself; before hitting him in the calf (thanks to Klaus and his fighting lessons!). He growled in pain, being hit a second time in both legs; before being thrown on his back on the floor.

"Fucking bitch!" He spat, angrily; pulling on her legs to make her loose her equilibrium and bring her in top of him.

She let a cry of surprise escape her parted lips; while feeling him roll on top of her: "Sorry, sweetheart; I prefer to be on top!" He teased, pushing both of her arms above her head; while grabbing both of her wrists. "Are you done playing the tough girl?"

Rebekah stared at him for a few seconds, while granting herself the time to catch her breath; before creating a false sense of trust by nodding her head as a "yes".

He slowly released his grip on her wrists, raising his legs and hips in the air to stand; before letting a loud scream escape his throat while being directly hit in the crotch area by her knee.

"Not even close, jerk!" She lashed out; before raising back on her legs. "And I can't stand a guy who prefers to be on top!"

Her name was Rebekah fucking Mikaelson, and no Stefan Salvatore would put her down!

---

To be continued …

Next thrilling chapter: Amor, Amor, Amor…